Race track



Nov. 21, 1989. A, w MOUNARE 2.180,478

RACE TRACK Filed March 13, 1939 necessarily be restricted Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED RACE TRAGK Anthony W; Molinare, Oak Park, Ill.

Application March 13,

` 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to vrace tracks, and more particularly to tracks of the type used for animal or vehicle racing.

Race tracks heretofore employed for animal racing,vsuchras'f,or horse or dog races, have usually been constructed in'the 'form of an oval including straight parallel sides or runways connected at their corresponding ends by curved runway portions, pioviding a continuous course of predeterminedlength. It has been found highly desirable to present for the interest, thrill, and amusement of spectators at such races, a racing program which includes a multiplicity of races, several of which are of different length-s. It has also been ,the practice to locate the finish line in front of or in close proximity to the spectaters' and judges stands. -In order to provide for termination of all races at a finish line in the locale of the spectators, it has been necessary to start certain races (t e length of which is less thanv or in excess of the length of the complete oval course) at points remote from and generally out of normal range of vision of the spectators, which greatly detracts from the interest and entertainment of the spectators. It is well known thatmany spectators become greatly thrilled and amused in observing the commencement of a horse race, and due to present types of race track constructions, such `ioys and entertainment must to only those races that start in front of the spectators.

The primary object of the present. invention is to provide a simple and novel race track construction including a plurality of oval race courses of different predetermined lengths, each of said courses having portions coincident with portions of one or more-of the other oval courses.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved race track of the Character indicated including a plurality of oval race courses of 'different predetermined .lengths, each of. said courses having straight portions coincident with straight portions of one or'more of the other oval courses, together with a gate, adjacent the juncture of the end of one of the coincident straight portions of the course with a curved portion, for selectively rendering available a race course of desired length.

A further object is to provide an improved race track of the character indicated, which is formed to permit starting and finishing of races, on each of said plurality of different length courses, substantially in front of the mass of spectators, to enhance the interest, thrills, and entertainment of. said spectators.

1989, serial No. 261,517v (cl. 272-4) Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from. the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a .race track constructed in accordance with. the present invention. i i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatic illustration of the juncture of twoloval courses of different lengths, showing a gate movable to either of two positions for selectively rendering operative one of said courses. i

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the gate, taken as indicated at line 3 3 on Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary .end view of the gate, taken as indicated at line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

In the illustrated embodiment of my inventicn, the race track is shownas comprising four oval courses of unequal length, each having portions superimpcsed upon and coinciding with similar portions of one or more of, the other courses. Said track includes two parallel, spaced-apart, straight side portions of equal length, indicated at IO and lila, which are connected atcorresponding ends by curved portions ll and Ha. The straight side portions are also connected, in-

termediate their length, by curved portions l2- and l, which are similar to and spaced inwardly from the respective curved end portions i and l la unequal distances. By virtue of this arrangement, it is possible to obtain, Within the area of la conventional oval race track, four oval race courses of different lengths, as Will be presently described.

For co-nvenience, the starting line and finishing line are indicated at the same place, and designated by reference numeral 15. Desirably, although not essentially so, said line l 5 is located Vcentrally of the length of the smallestoval course ;defined by curvedportions l2 and lfl, and it is toV be understood that said starting and finishing line is located in front of the stands of the spectators and judges.

The largest of the four oval race courses includes the straight side portions IO and Na and the curved end portions Il and Ha, and the path of travel around the course is indicated by a Semi-head type arrow designated as The next largest ovalrace course includes the major part of the straight side portions Ill and lila, curved endportion ll, and the inner curved portion I 2a, and the path of travel around said source is indicated by a full head type arrow designated as I'I. The third largest oval course includes parts of the straight side portions Ill and 2 lila, curved end portion Ha, and the inner curved portion 12, and the path of travel around said course is indicated by the semi-tail type arrow designated as IB. The smallest oval course includes intermediate parts of the straight side portions IO and IllEL and the inner curved portions |2 and |2, and the path of travel around the course is indicated by a full tail type arrow designated at 19. It will now be apparent that the last three courses described have portions thereof superimposed upon and coincident with portions of the largest oval race course, thus producing a compact asosciation of four different length race courses lying within the area or confines of one single or major race course.

By virtue, of the construction described, the interest, thrills, and amusement of the spectators will be greatly enhanced because, irrespective of the size oval course selected for the race, provided the length of said race corresponds to the size oval course selected, it is possible to observe both the starting and finish of every race run on the different size oval courses.

To assist in defining the race course to be used, I provide two similar movable gates, designated at A and B, located respectively at the junctures of straight portion Illa with the inner curved portion |2, and straight portion ID with the inner curved portion ia. These gates may be of any suitable or desired form and as shown, each is composed of a gate member 2|, hingedly supported at 22, at one end on an upright standard 23 located at one side of the main straight portions IB and l, respectively. At tie rod 24, with an interposed turnbuckle 25 connects the free end of the gate to the upper end of the standard 23, and assists in properly supporting the load of the gate. Because these gates are of substantial length, and to facilitate movement of the gate member, I employ one or more journaled Wheels 21., mounted in brackets 28, on the lower edge of the gate member 2| in engagement with the ground. These gates are adapted to be moved to either of two positions of adjustment, as seen in full and dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, depending upon the size oval course to be employed.

In order to facilitate a more clear and full understanding of the invention, let it be assumed 'that the length of the main or largest oval course,

defined by straight portions IO and |0 and curved end portions ll and Ha, is one mile. Then by proper relationship of curved inner portions |2 and 12a to each other and to the respective curved end portions ll and Ha, the next largest oval course may be seven-eighths of a mile in length; the third largest oval course, three-quarters of a mile in length; and the smallest oval course, five-eighths of a mile in length. By Variation in location of the curved inner portions l2 and |2a relatively to each other and to the respective curved end portions and l la, it is possible to obtain a relatively great number or sizes of the last three oval courses mentioned.

When it is desired to utilize the largest oval course, the gates A and B are in closed position, as seen in Fig, 1 of the drawing. If the next largest size oval course is to be employed, gate B is swung to the dotted position across the straight portion IO, while gate A remains in position as seen in full lines in Fig. 1. To obtain use of the third largest size oval course, gate A is moved to the dotted line position, across straight portion lila, while gate B is in closed position, as seen in full lines. In order to utiliz'e the smallest oval course, the gates A and B are moved to the dotted line positions indicated, across the straight portions 10 and Illa as seen in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that the race track embodying the present invention may also be advantageously employed in connection with various types of races, such as "Inidget automobile races, dog races, etc.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein illustrated and described, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A race track comprising two oval courses each having straight long side portions and short curved end portions, said ovals having minor axes of the same dimension and major axes of different dimensions and superposed with the straight side portions of each coincident throughout their common extent, the oval with the shorter major axis being non-symmetrically placed within the larger oval whereby the corresponding curved end portions of the two ovals are spaced different distances apart, thereby to provide four oval race courses of different lengths.

2. In a race track of the character set forth in claim 1, a gate movably mounted at the intersection of a curved end portion of the smaller oval with the straight side portion of the larger oval, said gate being movable to an inclined position across the straight portion of the large loval and substantially in line with the outer periphery of said curved end portion of the smaller oval, or to a position across said curved end portion of the small oval and substantially in line With the inner edge of the straight side portion of the long oval whereby to selectively direct racers about either the curved end portion of the short oval course or about the curved end portion of the long oval course, respectively.

AN TI-IONY W. MOLINARE. 

